Arthur of the Britons

This call sheet was kindly donated to this archive by Peter Thornton, who was employed as Clapper/Loader – a role now known as 2nd Camera Assistant – for much of the series. The episode concerned is “The Penitent Invader.”



“The Penitent Invader” was episode ‘G’ - the seventh episode to be filmed.

The call sheet is No.33, and is dated 7 August 1972, which was a Monday, so this would have been the first day of filming.

The scenes scheduled for this date were to be filmed at Woollard.

The day's filming involved extras, Barbara Hatherall and her husband; Gabrielle Doody, and three as yet unidentified extras, two of them horsemen. They were required in Make-up/Wardrobe at 07:30, to begin filming at 08:30.

Jack Watson (Llud) and Clive Revill (Rolf) were required in Make-up/Wardrobe at 08:30, to begin filming at 09:30. Jack Watson had his own transport, and Clive Revill was collected from the Unicorn Hotel ¹ at 08:00.

A number of scenes were to be filmed, starting with 14, 15, 16 and 24, then 17, 23, 18, 22, 19, 20 and 21.

The scenes in which we see Mr Hatherall as a jeweller at his work, and then being tended by his wife (Barbara Hatherall) following an attack by Rolf; a maiden (Gabrielle Doody) relaxing on the river bank, then in distress after an attack by Rolf, and a couple of men tending two horses, then the empty corral and the injured horsemen, would have been filmed first.

When Llud and Rolf were ready, they shot the scenes where we see Llud testing Rolf's reaction to the various temptations, and Llud hitting Rolf each time he appears tempted! Then there was the scene where Rolf and Llud stop to rest, and Llud falls asleep, wakes and finds Rolf missing, and then retraces his steps and observes the results of Rolf's depravities. Some of these were referred to as "pick-ups", being simply reaction shots.

At 12:30, Hedley Goodall (Abbot Morpeth) was required in Make-up/Wardrobe to be ready to film at 14:30. That allowed two hours to get him ready; perhaps as this was the first day of filming, they needed extra time for a suitable costume to be found and fitted.

Jack Watson and Clive Revill were also required, to film scenes 10 and 10a – the scenes where Llud goes to speak to the Abbott, Rolf’s “scourger” - and relieve him of his burdensome duties. One of the prop requirements was “Lots of baby animals”, presumably so that Rolf could demonstrate his villainy by abusing them! In the end, only a baby donkey was involved, tied up outside the Abbot’s hut, for Rolf to villainously shove with his foot.

The weather prospects must have been uncertain, as Fred Wedlock (Minstrel) was on standby, in case indoor banquet scenes were to be filmed instead of those scheduled for the morning. A crowd for these scenes was to be rounded up if needed!

Breakfast, lunch and afternoon break for the cast and crew – about 65 people - was laid on, by George Cook (or Cooke) on location.

¹ Possibly The Unicorn Hotel, West Street, Somerton TA11 7PR England – this would have been about an hour away by car.